IMITATE THEIR FAITH/JONATHAN - FOUNDATION OF FRIENDSHIP -Conclusion

 Years earlier, Jonathan had reasoned   similarly.  He was sure that two men -he was sure that two men-he and his armor-bearer could attack and defeat an entire garrison of armed soldiers.  Why?  Nothing  can hinder Jehovah," Jonathan said.  (1 Samuel 14:6)   So Jonathan and David had much in common: strong faith in Jehovah, and deep love for him.  That was the ideal basis for friendship between the two men. Even though Jonathan was mighty prince and nearing 50 years of age, while David was a humble shepherd and likely not yet 20 years old, those differences between them did not matter.

The convenant they made  was a  real protection for their friendship. How so?  You see, David knew what Jehovah had in store for him.  He was to become the next king of Israel!  Did he withhold that knowledge from Jonathan?  Hardly! A good friendship such as theirs thrives on open communication, not on secrets and lies.  How might learning of David's prospects have affected Jonathan? What if Jonathan had cherished a hope of becoming king one day and righting his father's wrongs?   The Bible tells us nothing  about any internal struggle Jonathan may have had; it tells only of what truly matters, Jonathan's  loyalty and his faith.  He could see  that Jehovah's spirit was with David.  (1 Samuel 16:1, 11-13) So Jonathan fulfilled his oath and continued to view David, not as his rival, but as his friend, Jonathan wanted to see Jehovah's will done.

That friendship turned out to be a great blessing. What can we learn from Jonathan's faith?  Any servant of God does well to see the value of friendship.  Our friends need not match our age of background, but  they can do us enormous good if they have genuine faith.  Jonathan and David were able to strengthen and encourage each other many times. And they would both need such help, for their friendship was about to face even greater tests.

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH/JONATHAN - The Challenge of Conflicting Loyalties

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